Pearl Harbor Day: Everything you need to know about this devastating day

The National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Day is one of the black days in the history of the United States of America. Pearl Harbor is a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii, which was surprisingly attacked by the hundreds of Japanese fighter planes. They managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 aeroplanes. The incident took place on December 7, 1941, and more than 2,400 Americans died in this attack while around 1000 people were wounded. The day after the attack took place, the President of USA, Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.

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Where is Pearl Harbor?

Pearl Harbor is located near the centre of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, roughly 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland and about 4,000 miles from Japan. No one believed that the Japanese would start a war with an attack on the distant islands of Hawaii.

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All About National Pearl Harbor Day

Canada was the first western nation to declare war on Japan within hours of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Then, on December 8, the United States declared war on Japan and entered World War II on the side of the Allies. In a speech to Congress, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the bombing of Pearl Harbor "a date which will live in infamy."

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On this day, the American flag is to be flown at half-staff until sunset to honour those thousands of people who died as a result of the attack on the U.S. military forces in Hawaii. Though Pearl Harbor Day is not a federal holiday, government offices, schools, and businesses do not remain shut, but some organisations may hold special events in memory of those killed or injured at Pearl Harbor.

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